FC coronavirus infections slowing some

The rate at which coronavirus is spreading of late appears to have slowed, according to new numbers from the Mississippi Department of Health.

The agency reported a rise of 84 cases in Franklin County for the week ending Tuesday, Feb. 1 with the area’s cumulative case count increasing from 1,697 to 1,781 in the past seven days.

No new deaths have been reported locally for the third week in a row, with the total of coronavirus-related fatalities remaining at 34 in Franklin County.

Here is a breakdown of infection totals reported locally during January:

• Dec. 28 through Jan. 4 — 56 cases.

• Jan. 4 through Jan. 11 — 76 cases and one death.

• Jan. 11 through Jan. 18 — 86 cases and one death.

• Jan. 18 through Jan. 25 — 185 new cases.

Across Mississippi, 727,418 cases of coronavirus have been reported from the beginning of the pandemic in March, 2020.

Of that number, 10,935 deaths were attributed statewide to the virus.

Health officials believe the Omicron variant has peaked and will slow in the coming weeks.

“We’re gonna continue to report out a lot of cases, but I really feel like we’re turning the corner,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said. “We’ll start trending down, I think, probably in the next couple of weeks.”

Dr. Thomas Dobbs, state health officer for Mississippi, is still urging residents to get vaccinated or receive a booster shot.

“We know from recent data that a booster is about 90 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations from omicron,” he said.

“And if you look at the number of people who have died from COVID in recent weeks, those who are fully vaccinated and have received a booster do much better than those who have had a vaccine before and certainly much better than those who have never been vaccinated.”

Locally, some 3,953 residents — 51 percent — have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination, while 3,587 Franklin Countians (47 percent) are considered fully vaccinated.

COVID-19 shots and boosters are still being administered between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursday at Franklin County Memorial Hospital.

To schedule an appointment to receive an inoculation through FCMH, call 601-384-8264.